Australian rapper Iggy Azalea defended her sharing of multiple nude pictures via Instagram amid a wave of backlash by suggesting the "creative" outlet has allowed her to cope with anxiety and depression.
"Say what you want about me posting pictures on Instagram but honestly, it gives me something else creative I can focus on—when sometimes I'm in a dark place or I feel stagnant," Azalea, 28, tweeted Tuesday. "Most days I want my project to drop, yesterday! But I don't get to make those choices."
The "Savior" artist did a nude photo shoot for a campaign with Fashion Nova, an online clothing brand that fellow rapper Cardi B also works with. Azalea drew criticism for posing au naturel, however. Due to the abundance of revealing photographs that have dominated her Instagram timeline as of late, some critics further suggested she's placing her music career on hold to prioritize modeling of this caliber.
Azalea stood by her decision. While she argued sharing such content via Instagram has allowed her to be "more positive," she said she'd release more music if she could. "If it were up to me I'd be releasing songs at the same rate I post pictures," she explained. "I really care about music and all creative things in my life genuinely. I put my heart into it."
The "Fancy" rapper has been vocal about her battle with depression and anxiety before. In 2016, she revealed she suffered from suicidal thoughts. "There were times when I wanted to just quit life," Azalea said during an interview with The Cruz Show. "Sometimes I would drive through the canyons to get to my horses and I would be like, 'What if I just kept driving?'"
Azalea has found other ways to cope, however.
"I think you gotta take it day by day," Azalea told Extra in March. "Just find an excuse to get out of the house."
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Dory Jackson is a New York-based entertainment journalist from Maryland. She graduated from Randolph-Macon College—in May 2016—with a focus in Communication ... Read more
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